July 17, 2008
David Mould/Michael Braukus
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600/1979
david.r.mould@nasa.gov, michael.j.braukus@nasa.gov
RELEASE: 08-178
HEADS OF AGENCY INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION JOINT STATEMENT
In Paris, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin is joined at the 2008
meeting of the International Space Station Heads of Agency by Guy
Bujold, Canadian Space Agency president; Jean-Jacques Dordain,
European Space Agency director-general; Anatolii N. Perminov, Russian
Federal Space Agency head; and Keiji Tachikawa, Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency president. Credit: ESA/S. Corvaja
› View Full Resolution PARIS -- The heads of the International
Space Station (ISS) agencies from Canada, Europe, Japan, Russia and
the United States met at European Space Agency (ESA) Headquarters in
Paris on July 17, 2008, to review ISS cooperation. As part of their
discussions, they noted the significantly expanded capability that
the ISS now provides for on-orbit research and technology development
activities and as an engineering test bed for flight systems and
operations that are critical to future space exploration initiatives.
These activities improve the quality of life on Earth by expanding
the frontiers of human knowledge.
The Heads of Agency also noted the Partners' significant
accomplishments since their last meeting in January 2007, including
the delivery of Node 2 (Harmony), two new laboratories (the ESA
Columbus Module and the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo), and Dextre,
Canada's two-armed special purpose dexterous manipulator. In addition
to the completion of six challenging ISS assembly missions with the
U.S. Space Shuttle, the Heads of Agency recognized the maiden flight
of the European Automated Transfer Vehicle, the establishment of the
global ISS ground operation control center network with the addition
of new European and Japanese ISS operations centers and the
successful flights of Russian Soyuz and Progress vehicles. The
Partners emphasized the critical importance of expanded operations of
Russian Soyuz and Progress vehicles for ISS total crew
transportation, rescue and cargo delivery.
The Heads of Agency reviewed current ISS development, configuration
and operations activities across the partnership. They considered
implementing plans to maximize the benefits from the increase to a
six-person crew in 2009 and discussed efforts to ensure that
essential space transportation capabilities (both crew and cargo)
will be available across the partnership for the life of the program.
The Partners acknowledged the need for the additional Russian modules
to be provided in 2009 and 2010 that will maximize six-person ISS
operations and utilization.
The Heads of Agency discussed their respective ongoing activities to
enhance upmass and downmass transportation capabilities required for
a robust utilization of the ISS and for preparing capabilities for
the future. These include Japan's H-2 Transfer Vehicle in the next
year, the U.S. Commercial Orbital Transportation Services and the
U.S. Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle; together with the current
operational vehicles, the U.S. Shuttle (up to 2010), Russian Soyuz
and Progress, and ESA Automated Transfer Vehicle. These capabilities
will respond to the ISS operations and utilization requirements. They
also noted new initiatives such as the ESA plan for an Automated
Transfer Vehicle-Advanced Return Vehicle system for downmass from the
ISS and the Russia-ESA joint preparatory activities on an advanced
Crew Space Transportation System. The Heads of Agency expressed their
interest in making these capacities available for the benefit of the
whole partnership and can provide sustainability of the ISS and
prepare for future exploration endeavors.
As the partnership moves closer to completion of ISS assembly, the
Heads of Agency reaffirmed their common interest in utilizing the
space station to its full capacity for a period meaningful for
stakeholders and users. The Partners noted that a continuation of
operations beyond 2015 would not be precluded by any significant
technical challenges. Recognizing the substantial programmatic
benefits to continued ISS operations and utilization beyond the
current planning horizon, the Heads of Agency committed to work with
their respective governments to assess support for such a goal.
For the latest about the International Space Station, visit the
Internet at:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
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